Norm Birthday etc.

Sister Grigg and Sister Palmieri wanted to wash our truck - said it had been a long time since they had washed a truck and they just wanted to do it.  They live behind us and are fun sisters.

Our Branch had their District Relief Society celebration this week.  I was impressed with the decorations they were doing.  They are such poor people but they still decorate and go to a lot of work.  The celebration was in our chapel.  I was not able to attend because of our baptism in Ubay but the celebration lasted for 4 hours.  They had a program and a dinner and then another program which each branch did a dance.  Sisters got up on the stage in their levis etc. and just did some sort of dance.  Then they turned it into singing - they just love to turn on the music and sing.  Anyone takes the mike and they just sing on and on.  So glad I was in Ubay!

We home teach to our Branch President's family.  We asked if we could come visit and he invited us to come to dinner with the missionaries.

President Neuva is standing in front.  He is the nicest man.  He farms for a living and works so hard but he always has time to do whatever needs to be done.  On the left is his young daughter, then their is a friend, Sister Grigg, his oldest daughter who is amazing and going to college, his wife, two more sister missionaries and then an elder.

McCoy takes care of us - he is watering the plants - we haven't had rain for a while.

During a morning walk we saw these flowers.  They are gorgeous - almost don't look real but they are.

A cute little toddler on our walk.

More gorgeous flowers.  They sometimes don't live in much but the flowers and foliage are gorgeous.

The community bath we walked by.

Couldn't resist this dear sister on our walk - got to love the socks!

Sister missionaries - I was interested in how they built around the tree.

Our goofy sisters took our camera without us knowing.  They are in the back seat of our truck.

I love these people - Brother and Sister Pamplonas  They are the most humble people I know.  It was dusty so she put on the hat.  He has one tooth in front and it is on top.  He has written a lot - uneducated but he writes beautifully.  We have suggested they might work in the temple.  I so hope that works out.  He has been offended in his branch - he is in the branch presidency - I hope he can get to the temple.  He will love it.

The most common site of Grandpa Norm.  He loves his ipad and spends much time on face book etc.

Happy "73" birthday.  The Sisters behind us decorated our truck with cute love notes.

The Sister on the left, Sister Cervantes, made a mango float - which consists of graham crackers, whip cream and mangos layered.  Very tasty.  The Sister in the red skirt had a birthday the next day so we had them over for pancake breakfast and we celebrated together.  Norm did say he is looking forward to his next birthday - that means we will be home.

Love these sisters.  So fun for us to have them close by. They answer lots of questions and speak English!  Love it!

After our pancake breakfast we went to Cebu to the temple.  Getting there is always a little intimidating but we made it.  Stayed over night in the patron house.  I did 3 sessions and Norm went to the family history center and did 1 session.  It was wonderful to be in the temple.

When we got home Friday night I made a cake and had a birthday party for Sister Deliarte in blue skirt.  The Elders live just up the road from us, Elder Gomollo and Elder Schnoor.

Not sure what this is but it definitely needed a picture.

Another ocean baptism in Ubay.  The sisters thought the van was coming to transport their family but I guess there was some sort of miscommunication.  We were the only vehicle.  Hence the elders had to take a tricycle and we put 5 in the very back, five in the back and Norm and a brother in front.  It went pretty good until Norm hit a bump that put us through the ceiling.  We have song books and a pan you might see as well full of Bihon the sisters made.

Elder Domingo baptized the sister, and the brother on the right is the branch president who baptized the brother. Norm spoke on Enduring to the End and did a great job.

The sister is not married but she adopted the littlest girl in the colored pants and white shirt.

Family of the brother.  His sister is in green pants and she is investigating, the boy in pink shirt is investigating.  The man next to him is the father who is a member but less active.  The Sister  Tarra Boggo is the missionary and Sister Perez is on the left.

It was high tide.

It took 3 times to baptize her.  Her foot kept coming up.  The elders were witnesses

A close up.  Elder Ika and Elder Reymundo.  Elder Reymundo goes home in 2 weeks.

They always haul food and eat.  We furnished the custard cake on the left.  Our landlord makes them. They always have bread with their bihon or spaghetti.  Make sandwiches out of it.

We hurried back to Calape to another baptism.  The people traveled from Sagbayan and hired this truck or whatever you want to call it.

Tonight, Sunday, March 23rd we went teaching with the Calape Elders.  The first time we have gone with them.  We taught in this humble home. I was trying to get a picture of the fan and cord.  They sleep on the floor - there is no sign of bed, or clothes or cupboards - just the light.

The man in green is the investigator they were teaching.  The sister in red top is his sister and she is also investigating.  They are neighbors - both of their companions were gone working.  Very nice people.

This was our second stop.  It was completely dark.  We taught outside by flashlight.  This man is a member but has been offended. Hasn't been to church in several years.   He did say he would come to church this Sunday.  We will see!  They fed us pop before we left and peanuts and crackers.  His wife is sitting there and she is active.

Another CSP - Community Service Project

One of our better cooking days.  Cracked wheat bread.  All made with a bowl and a spoon and lots of stirring and kneading on this table.  The kitchen gives you the jimmy jams  but we are cooking like it or not.

We were walking by a school and these kids love to have their picture taken.  We were out for a walk.  It is about 7:30 in the morning.  School starts at 8:00 a.m. and goes until 5:00 p.m.  Most schools wear uniforms but they don't in this one.

The girl standing by me in white skirt is JoAnn Racoma and President Tanner came over to set her apart as a missionary.  She is the sweetest girl.  Her mother is in red blouse and father in blue shirt.  I think the little kids must be grand children.  President Tanner gave her the most beautiful blessing.  He truly is an inspired mission president.  We learn so much from him.  It was great to hear the beautiful blessing and remind us of the important work we are doing and the blessings we are given to help us serve faithfully and accomplish what we have been sent here to do.  Such a privilege to be involved in the Lord's work full time.

We got home in time to visit a less active family with our sister missionaries.  You would not believe where this precious couple lives.  You step over a board to get in to their home and then sit on the floor.  They have two of the cutest little girls and this couple just smile and talk.  They haven't been coming to church but I honestly think they will start coming.  The sister missionaries taught them and then interpret for us.

Back to the Racoma's.  The priesthood men after the setting apart.

President and Sister Tanner sharing their love for JoAnn.

You go through a rice field to get to the Racoma home.  Sometimes it is wet and slippery and muddy.  This is the same place that I fell in a ditch when we first got here and did bad damage to my ankle which healed miraculously.

Our CSP project.  This is the Lanzadares territory.  This is part of the earthquake damage.  Habitat is building them a home on the side.  We were especially impressed with the ladder

Missionaries and branch members have come to help knock it down.  They have no equipment at all.  Norm tried to round up a sledge hammer.  Those are thick-heavy cement pillars.

They just kept chipping away at them.

Then they tied a rope at the top and pulled.  It went down after many tries and much labor.

This is coconut juice.  A delicacy.  They wanted to treat everyone.  After they get the juice out the scrape coconut into it and you drink the chunky coconut with the juice.  I would have to have a spoon for that one.  It is very delicious if you don't mind drinking chunks.  I had pop instead.  They are big pop drinkers in the Philippines.

Sister Grigg from Spanish Fork - or somewhere down there, goes home in April.  She is trying her luck at chopping open a coconut.

Brother and Sister Lanzadares in front of their daughters home.  All of these buildings are just feet apart.

Cleaning up the old and this is the new habitat home.

We usually sit in here and teach them.  The new habitat home is just to the side.  He hopes to rebuild their home but I don't think it will happen.  They don't have money and he is 70 years old.

They just about have the outside done.  Need to put on a tin roof and they asked Norm if he would do the cement floor.  Right now it is just weeds and all kinds of jumbled rock.

This is where they are presently living.

White door is their CR.  Behind is a room where he sleeps and the bigger part is where she sleeps with a son and daughter and two little girls living with them.

Norm loves this Catholic building.  We are out for a morning walk.  That is a tricycle passing by.  This is just past the market - very close to where we live.

Norm has made a name for himself eating Halo-Halo.  Elder Halladay eats Halo Halo. It has all kinds of fruit, a little ice cream, ice and I don't know what all.  You stir it all together.  They are big and very filling.

An English man runs this place.  I think it is called Silver Diner or something like that.  We went here to eat lunch with the sisters on our way to our appointments. We had a hamburger which you don't get very often.  It was quite highly seasoned but not a bad hamburger and they had delicious fries.  Sister Grigg who is going home in 3 weeks and Sister Palmieri from California and she goes home in July.  These sisters live in an apartment behind us and we truly do love them.  They are wonderful missionaries.  We have got to meet many of the people they are teaching.  They are very good to include us

Norm is off to a District Presidency Meeting.  He really does not enjoy these meetings.  He has such a hard time understanding what is going on even though they try to speak English.  They are long meetings.  So I have a little time to do the blog and maybe read the R.S. lesson for tomorrow.  The branch we are going to are the ones that asked me to teach on the spur of the moment and I was so unprepared.  I am going to read something this time.  One just never knows.